Academic journal

Scientific journals are regularly moved journals on special topics in the various scientific disciplines. They represent new methods, techniques and current trends in the sciences and the same externally as a rule rather regularly published anthologies. Scientific journals are the most important medium for publication (publication ) of new results from research and science worldwide and thus also serve the reputation of scientists. The scientific journal is one of the scientific publications. About their reputation is a magazine review ( journal ranking ) information.

Organization

Your organizational form often consists of an initiated by the scientific community editorial board ( editorial board), the submitted item by a - ideally - independent review process by other scientists of the same subject area ( peer review ) check for their quality and, where appropriate corrections by the author on the can publish publishing. The authors, editors and reviewers are not paid in most cases, but work only for the knowledge gain and for their personal reputation as a scientist. The publisher acquires it in return for the release of the exclusive commercial exploitation rights to published content. This practice is now in the face of often very high journal prices, however, come under criticism since accused the publishers of findings that are predominantly made ​​from government-funded researchers to propose unduly economic profit.

Process of publishing

Most undergo one or more experts of the area concerned ( reviewers) submitted in a scientific journal entries prior to the printing of a qualitative assessment. Often rates are known, how many articles they reject percentage entirely. After finding of remediable deficiencies to the author ( or main author) opportunity for the revision of the article, or in technical doubts in reply, in which the names of the reviewers remain anonymous as a rule. In some subjects, it is also usual that the article is made ​​anonymous before the assessment in order to increase the objectivity of the process: the case of such double-blind opinion none of the scientists involved knows the identity of the other, these are known only to the editors.

Benefits of peer review are a total of significantly higher quality of work and generally intelligible formulations. Disadvantages are high cost and long duration of the review process, sometimes more frequent rejection unusual or very innovative research approaches when few experts dominate an area of ​​expertise and therefore also act always as an expert witness.

If an article written version of a lecture (about at a special event or a symposium ) basis, we speak the international language of an " Invited " or " Presented Paper ". (This is, however, especially in the natural sciences usual. ) After a positive evaluation is called a contribution Reviewed Paper. Such bears especially true when it appears in a particularly prestigious journal, considerably to the reputation of a researcher at.

The preprint of a single article called Preprint, an (ex-post ) Single pressure, however Separatum, Offprint or special edition. In traditional journal publications, the authors usually receive 20 to 30 free offprints as copies, including the scientific communication with colleagues. The previously for correction purposes often usual " proofs " have become today the same degree rare, such as the electronic publication is gaining importance.

The in some subject areas strongly increasing electronic publication leads lately to the increased call for Open Access - the free, free access scholarly literature on the internet. See the article in journal crisis.

Well-known scientific journals

The first journals are the first time in January 1665, published in Paris "Journal of Sçavans " and the London " Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society " from the same year.

The international scientific journals with the highest impact factor are Nature and Science. Like it is missing in the humanities and social sciences, in which no such overarching periodicals were able to establish. Rather, one often almost unmanageable number of often highly specialized magazines dominated the market.

In German-speaking magazine Scientific American (see Scientific American ) aligned in popular science and thus stands between journal and popular magazine.

Dissemination

Scientific journals are distributed over the traditional model in which libraries annually renewable subscriptions have the magazines and these in turn provide their users free of charge. Prices for subscriptions arise in part from the production effort, on the other hand the number of financially strong subscriber.

Until the advent of the Internet, they have been mainly distributed in print form, now many titles of scientific journals are also called parallel -line journals (possibly: Online First ) or as an e- only versions (see the electronic magazine ) published.

Access

Scientific journals are predominantly held by university or Institutsbiliotheken at universities and their users are there in print, in the presence of inventory available for reading. Older vintages are usually jahrgangsweise archived in bound form, so that an access even after years is still possible. Also access to the online versions organize academic libraries. Usually this is done through licensing agreements, according to which the library provides its registered users or for a specific IP range to access the journal. Depending on the contract libraries can archive the older vintages electronically and it continues to allow access.

A free access to hundreds of scientific journals is possible for people living in Germany on the system of national licenses. All it takes is a free registration.